Every year many vehicle accidents are caused by impaired vehicle operators. One common kind of impaired vehicle operation is drowsy driving. If the vehicle operator falls asleep for even a second while driving, the results can be disastrous. Another common kind of impaired vehicle operation is distracted driving. Modern motor vehicles come equipped with any number of distractions including stereos, air-conditioners, navigation systems, etc. Furthermore, a vehicle operator can be distracted by another passenger or by articles the vehicle operator brings into the vehicle (e.g., a mobile telephone, book, etc.). Yet another common kind of impaired vehicle operation is agitated, anxious, or aggressive driving. Numerous incidents occurring during the course of a trip may aggravate the vehicle operator, such as traffic jams, poor driving by other drivers, vehicle malfunctions, or inclement weather conditions. Additionally, factors unrelated to the trip may distract or aggravate the vehicle operator, such as receipt of bad news, running behind schedule, passenger conduct, or any number of factors occurring prior to vehicle operation. These and other factors may impair the ability of vehicle operators to operate vehicles safely.
Many modern vehicles are equipped with a variety of devices that may be used to monitor vehicle operator impairment, including on-board computing systems, accelerometers, cameras, and Global Positioning System (GPS) units. In addition, many mobile devices such as smartphones contain a variety of sensors and are capable of wireless communication of data.